GUIDANCE FOR DEALING WITH & REPORTING ALLEGATIONS OR CONCERNS OF ABUSE THIS GUIDANCE FORMS PART OF THE CODE OF BEHAVIOUR (UNDERAGE) GUIDANCE FOR DEALING WITH & REPORTING ALLEGATIONS OR CONCERNS OF ABUSE THIS GUIDANCE FORMS PART OF THE CODE OF BEHAVIOUR (UNDERAGE) © Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, Cumann Peil Gael na mBan, An Cummann Camógaíochta, Comhairle Liathróid Láimhe na hÉireann agus Comhairle Cluiche Corr na hÉireann, Páirc an Chrócaigh, Baile Átha Cliath 3 Feabhra 2020 1 Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting Allegations or Concerns of Abuse Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Glossary of Terms 4 POLICY Section 1 Child Safeguarding Statement 9 Section 2 Categories and Definitions of Child Abuse 10 Section 3 Dealing with Concerns or Suspicions of Abuse 15 Responding to disclosures or allegations of abuse 15 Responding to adults who disclose retrospective childhood abuse 16 Recording disclosures or allegations of abuse 16 Confidentiality 16 Anonymous Complaints 17 Reporting Allegations of Child Abuse 17 Reasonable grounds for concern 18 Section 4 The Role of the Designated Liaison Person 20 Section 5 The National Child Safeguarding Committee 24 Section 6 The National Child Safeguarding Appeals Panel 25 PRACTICE Section 7 Managing Allegations of Abuse against volunteers, staff members & employees 27 Allegations of Child Abuse relating to a volunteer 27 Reporting retrospective allegations or concerns 27 Reporting Allegations Pathway 28 Allegations of Abuse relating to a staff member or an employee 29 Where ‘reasonable grounds for concern’ may not exist 30 When an allegation is not referred to the statutory authorities 31 False allegations 31 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Child Safeguarding & Protection Procedures as overseen by Ulster GAA 35 Appendix 2 Tusla Area Management Structures and Health & Social Care Areas 39 Appendix 3 Health and Social Care Trusts Contact Details 40 Appendix 4 Tusla Dedicated Contact Points 41 Appendix 5 Child Protection & Welfare Report Form (Tusla) 43 Appendix 6 Retrospective Abuse Report Form (Tusla) 44 Appendix 7 Template Reporting Form (Gateway Team Report) 45 Appendix 8 Gaelic Games Associations (Internal) Reporting Allegations of Abuse Form 47 Appendix 9 The Children’s Officer 49 Appendix 10 Child Protection Legislation & Guidelines 51 Appendix 11 Mandated Person 55 Appendix 12 Risk Assessment and Child Safeguarding Statement 57 Appendix 13 Child Safeguarding Training 58 Appendix 14 Child Safeguarding Structures in Independent/Amalgamated/Combined Teams 59 Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting Allegations or Concerns of Abuse 2 RÉAMHRÁ INTRODUCTION The publication and adoption of the revised and guidelines in the jurisdictions in which the Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting Allegations organisation operates. or Concerns of Abuse underlines our aim to provide a safe environment for children who participate We recognise that our Associations have a legal in our Games and in our associated activities and responsibility to take action to avoid a child being directs us in meeting our legal obligations. a victim of any form of abuse while engaged in our activities and to take appropriate action We further welcome the publication of this booklet where allegations or concerns of abuse may arise. as a commitment to the joint child safeguarding Similarly, we recognise that if a member of our policy approach adopted by the GAA, LGFA, the Associations is made aware of an allegation of Camogie Association, GAA Handball and GAA abuse, they have an obligation to report such Rounders. The decision to agree a joint policy matters that give reasonable grounds for concern procedure recognises the close cooperation our to the relevant statutory authority. We shall Associations enjoy at Club and National level and endeavour to ensure that mentors, coaches and the reality that many individuals hold membership other personnel, who work with children or hold in more than one of our Associations. role of responsibility at club and county level, are familiar through the training we provide with While this Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting the procedures that we have put in place for the Allegations or Concerns of Abuse primarily deal protection of victims of child abuse and that they with allegations or concerns of abuse that may act accordingly. occur when children are involved in Association activities we are fully aware of our moral and Our basic objective is to prevent situations arising legal responsibilities to uphold best practice where children could be at risk of any form of abuse in all aspects of our work with children and while engaged in Association activities which is young people. reflected in our Club, County and National Child Safeguarding Statements. This Guidance booklet forms part of our joint Code of Behaviour (Underage) and while it has This work will be supported by the various been drafted in compliance with our statutory structures of our Associations and in particular by obligations it also forms part of the rules of our the National Child Safeguarding Committee and by Associations. Our Associations fully subscribe our committed volunteers and staff. to and promote the role of Designated Liaison Persons (DLP) at Club, County, Provincial and National level and we thank them for their Tom Ryan GAA (Ard Stiúrthóir) commitment and leadership. Our DLPs, who Helen O’Rourke LGFA (Ard Stiúrthóir) receive specialist training for their roles, are available to our members and to others to assist Sinéad McNulty Camogie (Ard Stiúrthóir) in reporting, without delay, any concerns or John Kelly GAA Handball (National Manager) allegations of abuse in addition to the legal role Iain Cheyne GAA Rounders (Rúnaí) that Mandated Persons in our Associations have in reporting to and assisting the statutory authorities. We are indebted to the NCSC for ensuring that effective safeguarding polices, standards and guidance have been adopted and it is the duty of each member and unit of our Associations to ensure that they are personally compliant with the relevant statutory child safeguarding requirements 3 Guidance for Dealing with & Reporting Allegations or Concerns of Abuse GLOSSARY OF TERMS Bullying: Bullying behaviour can be defined as as concussion, anti-doping and nutrition, repeated aggression be it verbal, psychological the availability of medical aid and assistance or physical, conducted by an individual or group and frequency of playing and training. Such against others. (See Section 2 of this Guidance requirements and the responsibilities to booklet). ensure that they are addressed are contained in our playing rules, regulations and coaching Categories of Abuse: Abuse is generally qualification training programmes. categorised into four categories – Neglect, Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse and Sexual • Child Safeguarding is the action that is taken Abuse. Definitions for each of these categories to promote the welfare of children and young of abuse are outlined in detail in Section 2 of the people and protect them from harm. Equally, it Guidance as are other forms of abuse. is important to note that ‘child protection and welfare’ is part of the safeguarding process. Child: For the purpose of the Guidance a Child is It focuses on protecting individual children/ any person under the age of 18 years1. young people identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child Child Safeguarding, Protection and Welfare: protection procedures which detail how to In seeking to ensure the general welfare and respond to concerns about a child including protection of children and young people, our our Child Safeguarding Statements. Associations shall safeguard and promote the interests and wellbeing of all those under 18 years Child Safeguarding Training: Child Safeguarding of age who are involved in our games and other Training is now a mandatory requirement in law related activities. for those who work with children. This requirement applies to our coaches, managers and others who • The terms child welfare, child protection fulfill a role of responsibility or a regulated role and child safeguarding, as referenced in with children, on our behalf. The Gaelic Games this booklet, can be found in certain child Associations deliver three levels of safeguarding safeguarding legislation and elaborated upon training; in guidance publications, issued in tandem with such legislation. Child Welfare in a Safeguarding 1: Child Protection in Sport safeguarding context describes the procedures Awareness Workshop is a face to face workshop and actions adopted that promote the welfare primarily for coaches, managers and mentors of of children and young people and protects underage teams. them from harm. Safeguarding 2: Club Children’s Officer Workshop • Sports associations also use the term player welfare as it may apply to both children Safeguarding 3: Designated Liaison Person’s and adults who play our games and this Workshop terminology in the case of children should not be confused with ‘child welfare’. The term Debarment: An interim decision taken by a ‘player welfare’ in a sports context generally Designated Liaison Person at Club, County, describes the welfare of a player while they Provincial or National level. Such action may are playing or participating in our games. only be taken following consideration of a Player welfare in this context generally refers matter that has given reasonable grounds for to player injury and on-field care, issues such concern regarding a person who may be working 1 The interpretation